NSC 68

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Derek McLaughlin

History 102

4/17/17

Doc. 68

The NSC-68 was a detailed review of the United States strategic objectives which stressed the urgency to build the United States economic, political, and military power due to the fact that the Soviet Union was caught developing nuclear capabilities. These new capabilities within the Soviet Union was believed to be a huge step for them in solidifying absolute power amongst their nation. “The Kremlin regarded the United States as the only major threat to the achievement of its fundamental design” (Doc. 7). The fundamental design of the Kremlin was to continue their ways of being dominated by communism and to eliminate the challenges of freedom which created a tension among us. This was seen to be a direct threat to the security of the United States because of the ideology and lack of awareness seen from the nature of the Soviet system.

The aftermath of World War Two had made the United States and Soviet Union the only two world powers remaining. Now the threat remained that the Soviet Union would pursue world domination with their nuclear capabilities over the rest of the world because of their ideology concerning communism. This was a terrifying possibility to not only the U.S. but to the remaining weakened nations as well. When it was found that the Soviet Union had the capability of creating a nuclear bomb, it directly threatened the United States because we were the only nation capable of fighting them. Simply, the U.S. stood as the principal center of power in the non-Soviet world and it is perceived that there was a possibility that they were looking to destroy us, removing the free-state. The Soviet Union looked to weaken the free-state through political, economic, and psychological warfare. The document states, “The gravest threat to the security of the United States within the foreseeable future stems from the hostile designs and formidable power of the U.S.S.R.” (Doc. 60). Thus it was said our free society found itself mortally challenged by the Soviet System.

Although this weapon of mass destruction would place a lasting destruction on land and infrastructure, the political and economic effects of the U.S.S.R. would pose a graver threat because it would challenge the relative world position of power the United States currently held. Ideas of freedom were perceived to be at the heart of the conflict between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. The Kremlin regarded us as the only major threat to the achievement of their fundamental design regarding controlled power because they looked to eliminate voice of freedom which the U.S. so valuably held at the focal point of our policies. The Soviet Union was looking to abolish government and end the structures to society regarding the remaining free-states. The document states, “The idea of freedom is the most contagious idea in history, more contagious than the idea of submission to authority” (Doc. 8), which was a direct threat to the priority of the Soviet Union’s demands of total control. This irrational human behavior meant the U.S. would have to prepare for the worst.

The United States would have to make themselves stronger than ever before to affirm their values along with the development of military and economic strength. The NSC would have to build a successful functioning political and economic system in the free world in an attempt to preserve and drive the values of a free-state. World leadership would have to be a corner stone in trying to convert the Soviet-state into a free-state, pushing freedom and democracy. By limiting the requirements of the Soviet Union among other nations, this would be a perfect example to show them the positives of consent which in may turn their beliefs to this practice. The document states, “It is only by developing the moral and material strength of the free world that the Soviet regime will become convinced of the falsity of its assumptions and that the pre-conditions for workable agreements can be created” (Doc. 10). It is within these hopes that the U.S. is able to push democracy and ideas of freedom on the Soviet Union without turning to a global war. Possibility of force is a last resort for a free society. The act of war would be a direct breach in these ideas trying to be pushed on the Soviet Union. The United States recognized the potential of a nuclear threat which also led them to develop a strong military readiness.

Overall, the United States were looking to reduce the power and influence of the Soviet Union among their own people and neighboring states. When the U.S. found out about the nuclear capabilities they possessed, this was a direct threat to the U.S. because of the position of power we had on the nation as a whole. This document also had a huge impact on National Security policy which outlined the strategies of the United States for that time and examined the capabilities of the Soviet Union. The document showed a tremendous effort to bring change in the conduct of international relations by the government in power in Russia (Doc. 62). d powers remaining. Now the threat remained that the Soviet Union would pursue world domination with their nuclear capabilities over the rest of the world because of their ideology concerning communism. This was a terrifying possibility to not only the U.S. but to the remaining weakened nations as well. When it was found that the Soviet Union had the capability of creating a nuclear bomb, it directly threatened the United States because we were the only nation capable of fighting them. Simply, the U.S. stood as the principal center of power in the non-Soviet world and it is perceived that there was a possibility that they were looking to destroy us, removing the free-state. The Soviet Union looked to weaken the free-state through political, economic, and psychological warfare. The document states, “The gravest threat to the security of the United States within the foreseeable future stems from the hostile designs and formidable power of the U.S.S.R.” (Doc. 60). Thus it was said our free society found itself mortally challenged by the Soviet System.

Although this weapon of mass destruction would place a lasting destruction on land and infrastructure, the political and economic effects of the U.S.S.R. would pose a graver threat because it would challenge the relative world position of power the United States currently held. Ideas of freedom were perceived to be at the heart of the conflict between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. The Kremlin regarded us as the only major threat to the achievement of their fundamental design regarding controlled power because they looked to eliminate voice of freedom which the U.S. so valuably held at the focal point of our policies. The Soviet Union was looking to abolish government and end the structures to society regarding the remaining free-states. The document states, “The idea of freedom is the most contagious idea in history, more contagious than the idea of submission to authority” (Doc. 8), which was a direct threat to the priority of the Soviet Union’s demands of total control. This irrational human behavior meant the U.S. would have to prepare for the worst.

The United States would have to make themselves stronger than ever before to affirm their values along with the development of military and economic strength. The NSC would have to build a successful functioning political and economic system in the free world in an attempt to preserve and drive the values of a free-state. World leadership would have to be a corner stone in trying to convert the Soviet-state into a free-state, pushing freedom and democracy. By limiting the requirements of the Soviet Union among other nations, this would be a perfect example to show them the positives of consent which in may turn their beliefs to this practice. The document states, “It is only by developing the moral and material strength of the free world that the Soviet regime will become convinced of the falsity of its assumptions and that the pre-conditions for workable agreements can be created” (Doc. 10). It is within these hopes that the U.S. is able to push democracy an